Edgar s



(No Model.)

B. S. HICKS.

FOLDING GENTERBOARD FOR VESSBLS. No. 580,158. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR S. IIIOKS, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID H. VALENTINE, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING CENTERBOARD FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 580,158, dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed December 11,1896. Serial No. 615,346. (No model.)

To all whom it may conce n: The object of my invention is to provide a Be it known that I, EDGAR S. HICKS, a citicenterboard composed of parallel folding seczen of the United States, and a resident of tions so connected together that they will Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New resist pressure from both sides equally, and 55 York, have invented certain new and useful thus when dropped out from the box will Improvements in Folding Oenterboards for produce rigid and reliable support for the Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, stability of a vessel as any centerboard proand exact specification, reference being had duced of one piece. At the same time my to the accompanying drawings, wherein improved folding centerboard is devised to 60 Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, fold into a comparatively very small box, re-

of my improved folding centerboard receded ducing the required space in the hold of the in the box. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in vessel to a minimum. section, of my improved folding centerboard My improved folding centerboard consists extended. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the of two sections A and B, the upper section A 65 I 5 line 3 3, indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. a is a crossserving as a case for the lower. This lower section on the line l &, indicated in Fig. 1. section B is a single board. The upper is Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged details, Fig. 5 composed of two boards secured togetheron of the head of the brace, Fig. 6 an elevation, strips a. The top and bottom of the section and Fig. 7 a front elevation of the turn-bolt. A are open. Both sections are connected 7o My invention relates to ship building; and together and with the box O by braces 19 and b, it consists of the hereinafter-described consuspended on bolts (Z and d. Each of these struction of a folding centerboard for skiffs braces consists of two links I) and b and b and similar vessels. and b, respectively, separately pivoted by Shallow sailing vessels must be provided bolts 6 and e to each of the two side boards 75 with center-boards to increase their stability. of the upper section A and both jointly by Such centerboard is usually suspended in a bolts f and f to the lower section B. In this box set up in the center of the board and is manner the two braces and sections of the provided with tackle for lifting and lowering centerboard are joined into a frame foldable it, as required in the course of sailing. If in in its plane but rigid against side pressure, 80 0 building of such ships the area of centeras will be understood from the sectional view boards could be considered regardless of other in Fig. 3. It was said that the braces b and requirements, the centerboard would always b connect the sections A and B with each be made very large, or at least as large as other and also the whole centerboard with would be required in proportion to the other the case, so that the whole will for all prac- 85 5 dimensions of the craft. This, however, is in tical purposes represent itself in the same practice utterlyimpossible. In determining manner as a centerboard made of one piece the size of the centerboard due consideration and of a size equal to the aggregate area of must be taken for the other arrangements in both sections and of the box. the hold of the ship, and for this reason the In operating the centerboard the braces I) b 90 dimensions of the centerboard are always the and b" I) act as levers or lifters for both secresult of a compromise between the calculated tions. They are operated by the bolt 61 (shown area and the requirements of other arrangein elevation in Fig. 6) and handle g. The ments in the hold of the vessel. Especially part h of the body of the bolt and the part in shallow sailing boats the dimensions of the z' of its head are squared. The holes in the 95' centerboard-box must necessarily be reduced braces I) are correspondingly square, part 71. toaminimum. A small centerboard is, howof the body of the bolt fitting tightly into ever, detrimental to the stability and consethem. Bolt dis pillowed in suitable bearings quently to the sailing ability of a boat, and in the centerboard-ease. The parts of the for this reason centerboards composed of two body of the bolt moving in the boring are I00 or more sections are employed in the construcround. Washer is slid on the thread end tion of such vessels. of the bolt, which is necessarily reduced in its dimension, because otherwise it would be not possible to pass the bolt through the square holes of the braces 1). Handle g, for turning the bolt cl, is applied to the head of the bolt and is preferably secured thereto by nut l. The handle is provided with a slot 'Lt, shaped in accordance with the head of the bolt d, and with a circular recess 0, which is large enough to allow the handle to turn around the squared part of the bolts head, so that whenever the handle is not in use it may be dropped out of the way.

The centerboard may also be operated in any well known manner, as by tackle and otherwise, and no locking of the sections in the box is necessary, the parts being so balanced that the centerboard will sustain itself in folded position.

My improved folding centerboard is devised principally for use on skifis. Its construction will, owing to its rigidity and simplicity, be found very suitable also for all shallow sailing vessels, because in proportion to the small space occupied with the box in the hold of the vessel a very large and rigid centerboard, capable to resist the pressure equally from both sides, is provided.

I claim as nlyinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A folding centerboard consisting of a hollow and of a solid section, the solid section being adapted to recede into the hollow and both to recede into the box provided in the hold of a vessel, bolts pillowed in the sides of the box, double braces rigidly connected to the bolts and pivotally connected to the sections of the centerboard, separately to the hollow section and jointly to the solid section, thus connecting the two sections with each other and both with the box, and forming together with the sections a frame fold able in plane; and of means for operating the centerboard.

2. In a folding centerboard the combination 45 with a hollow and of a solid section, the solid section being adapted to recede into the hollow and both to recede into the box provided in the hold of the vessel, of double braces rigidly secured on bolts pillowed in the sides of the centerboard-box and adapted to be operated by a handle, fitted on the projecting head of one of the bolts, and pivotally connected to the section of the centerboard, separately to the hollow section and jointly to the solid section, thus connecting the two sec-.

tions with each other and both with the box.

In witness that I claim the improvements,

described in the foregoing specification I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR S. HICKS? Witnesses:

ROBERT VAN IDERSTINE, ROBERT VALENTINE MATHEws. 

